A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to compounds useful as anticholinergic drugs and in particular to those belonging to the class of dihydrocarbon substituted glycolic esters in which the esterifying alcohol is a tertiary nitrogen-containing, cyclic compound.
B. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that esters of a basic nitrogen-containing alcohol and a substituted glycolic acid such as benzylic acid or .alpha.-cyclopentyl-.alpha.-phenylglycolic acid have marked anticholinergic activity, and various members of this class have been reported to exhibit useful cycloplegic or mydriadic action and to be of value in treating mental illnesses, certain neurological diseases and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. However, the known drugs used in the treatment of these maladies often prove unsuitable due to unsatisfactory time-action courses. They tend to react only after a considerable onset period, and the effects generally persist too long. Manifestly, there is a need for anticholinergic drugs which will function shortly after administration, and the need is especially acute for drugs whose effects wear off rapidly, such as in the cycloplegic diagnostic examination of the eyes.